Adri M Smit 2009066495 ENGA6834
Part IV: Robert Frost
Frost's modulation of an austere and tragic view of life
through the metaphysical use of detail – the convergence of
the seen and unseen realms in his poetry.
, Liebman & Baym's Theories
Liebman, S.W. Frost's Poetic Theory: “On the Dialects of Poetry”
In Liebman's article on Robert Frost's 'theory' on poetry, Frost's creative
process is described as follows:
It is considered by the poet to be a 'descent into chaos',
Is underscored by a sense of meaning that lacks words,
Contains a transformation, leading to a point of order,
Is a metaphoric 'dream voyage' in which reader and poet understanding
something they already knew, but forgot,
Is not only a collective metaphor for life, but also individual, smaller
metaphors per poem, and
Is a process both of imagination and reality, facts and poet coming together
as clouds & water do in order to 'let the poem write itself', giving new meaning
to words as they are are used to explore new ways of 'meaning'.
, Liebman & Baym's Theories
Baym, N. An Approach to Frost's Nature Poetry.
Baym, in her earlier analysis of Frost's poetry, describes it as follows:
As 'nature poetry' because of its abundance of references to and use of
nature,
As putting forth a bleak, austere world-view because Frost's preference of
winter and death themes,
As glorifying man's rational capacities in terms of its 'staying power' against
the chaos of nature,
As being anti-intellectual due to its more scientific view of nature and life*,
As focussing generally on either love's alternations or the weather's
alternations, as well as
Being ruled by the laws of nature's permanent decay and mutability, promising
no return to 'paradise', but merely a decline into death.